“If I ever see you near here, or anywhere for that matter, I will make sure you are wiped from this earth without a trace.” Jared snarled as he squeezed his throat harder. “You will never be good enough to be her father, you bastard.”
Without emotion, Tessa watched as her father’s face turned a dark shade of red. His eyes bulged and she didn’t care how close to death he was at the moment. No guilt filled her. Actually, she felt nothing as Jared let him go. Frank slid down the wall gasping, gagging, and coughing as he held his throat. Picking him up by the ponytail, Jared hauled him through the kitchen and out of the house.
“He’s lying, you know that.” Adam’s voice brought her back, but she didn’t look his way.
“No, actually I don’t know that.” Tessa’s stomach heaved, and her chest hurt as if an invisible hand had reached inside to squeeze her emotions from her. She finally looked up at her brother. “For once in his life, I think Frank Pride just told the truth.”
Tessa walked out of the kitchen the opposite way Jared had taken her father. Out the back door, down the unsteady rock steps, across the yard and into the woods. Taking the path she had taken so many times since she was a little girl, she walked, then jogged until she was in a flat-out run. So many times she had run this same path, to the same place trying to escape her reality. And just for a moment, she needed to be that young girl again.
Stopping at her cliff, she stood there looking out with unseeing eyes as her father’s words played over and over in her head. She knew her mother had loved her, but didn’t doubt what she had just learned was true. As soon as she heard Frank’s words, a memory she had buried slammed into her mind. She had gotten in trouble at school and her mother had been called in. She had been caught cheating on a test. One thing their mother had been hard on them about was schoolwork. She wanted them both to go to college, get a good education so they didn’t end up living as they had. Their mother wanted better for them both. She had wanted them to have what she had never had.
Tessa was waiting to hear her punishment and had sneaked out of her room and hid on the steps so she could hear what was being said in the kitchen when her father got home.
“I just don’t know what to do with her, Frank,” her mother said, her tone angry with frustration. “She’s failing math, gets caught cheating. I mean, what’s next? Skipping school?”
“Well, if you would have listened to me, we wouldn’t be having this problem,” Frank slurred, having stopped by a bar or two on his way home.
“Listened to what?” Her mother sighed loudly. “I swear I can’t talk to you when you’re like this. Can’t you come home sober once in a while?”
“Hell, I’m too sober now to deal with this shit every single day I come home.” He snarled as he slammed something, making Tessa jump on the steps. “If you would’ve just had that damn abortion, I wouldn’t be drinking and you wouldn’t be bitchin all the fucking time.”
Tessa gasped as she held onto the banister. She was old enough to know what that word meant. Tears filled her eyes as her grip tightened, waiting for her mother’s denial of what her father had just said, but it never came. The house became silent other than a sniff from Tessa as tears rolled down her cheeks. Pulling herself up, she turned to quietly go to her room but stopped to see Adam standing at the top of the landing. His eyes searched her face as he reached his small hand out to her. Adam was too young to know what their father’s words meant, and she was glad.
That was the moment Tessa’s self-worth was set in her mind. If her parents had considered such a drastic measure, for sure in the eyes of others, Tessa wasn’t worth fighting for.
Shaking her head, wanting the painful memories to vanish, her eyes drifted downward. Acting out of instinct, she took off running as fast as she could, jumping high in the air, her arms outstretched as her body rushed toward the ground. Before her feet hit the grassy earth, she was pulled against something hard. Turning her head, she gazed into Jared’s panicked face.
“What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” he hissed, the moment their feet hit the ground.
Tessa opened her mouth, then shut it, realizing that if she spoke anything at all, she was going to lose it. Instead, she pushed away from him and turned her back. What did he think of her now after hearing that her father hadn’t wanted her? Humiliation mixed with pain almost doubled her over, but she fought the urge to do just that. Determined, she made sure her spine was straight as she stood as tall as her short frame allowed.
“Tessa?” Jared questioned, his tone a little gentler.
For some weird, unknown reason, Tessa’s anger spiked. Maybe it was a coping mechanism, or it could be she just wanted to be a bitch. Maybe all the humiliation she had suffered in her life had built up and rose to the surface needing a way to expose it’s ugly head. Whatever it was, it came out and unfortunately, Jared was the only one there.
“So, how does it feel to be mated to a pathetic loser who her own parents didn’t want?” Tessa spat out, not even turning around to face him. Thinking for a second, she laughed. “I always wondered what it was about me that made me so unlovable.”
Tessa finally turned around to face him. Anger shone in his hard glare. “Don’t” was all he said.
“Don’t what?” Tessa tilted her head to the side. “Speak the truth? Well hell, Jared, one of us has to. I know nothing about your past other than little bits and pieces. But you know all my secrets now. So again, how does it feel to be mated to poor Tessa Pride, the girl even her parents didn’t want?”
Jared took a step toward her, but she wasn’t finished with this little pity party she was throwing for herself, and threw her hand out to stop him. “You know, I’ve tried so hard to be the person everyone wanted me to be—my parents, my teachers, the men in my life, Otis, and even you. I have failed every single time, and you know what? I’m tired of trying to please everyone. I’m tired of failing. I’m just so fucking tired I can’t stand it anymore.”
At the mention of Otis, Jared’s hands fisted. His body was rigid, his mouth a thin angry line, and his eyes narrowed dangerously. “I have never treated you badly, Tessa.” Jared said, his voice angry with emotion, and she knew he was fighting to stay in place.
“No, you haven’t… until I began to decide on who I really wanted to be,” Tessa threw at him and was wickedly pleased to see doubt flash across his features before he masked it quickly. “Why is that, Jared?”
He actually glanced away from her for a second. “I know what’s best for you, Tessa” was his only response.
Okay, if she really wanted to be honest here, that hurt her worse than hearing her dad wanted to abort her. How messed up was that? She touched her ring, twirling it around her finger. It was a ring she swore would never leave her skin, yet she began to slide it off. “And that is exactly what Otis said to me right before I found him in bed with my best friend.”
“Do not compare me to that son of a bitch!” Jared’s anger finally got the best of him as he bellowed.
Tessa ignored his words as she walked toward him. “I will not let that happen to me again. I grew to hate the person I had become, still do in ways. Even Otis began to hate me for making me into what he thought I should be, how I should dress, what I should eat, what my career should be, even how to talk, and I swear as I stand right here before you, I would die inside to think you could ever hate me. I am trying my best to find myself.” Tessa laughed, sounding a little hysterical. “At my age you’d think I’d know, but I have no clue. And until I do and you accept me for who I decide I am, this isn’t going to work.”
“I know who the fuck you are, Tessa,” Jared replied, and she knew he was trying to keep the anger out of his voice.
She shook her head and held out the ring he had given to her in what seemed so long ago. “No, you don’t.” Tears tightened her throat, but she held her emotions in check. “How can you when I don’t even know?”
When he didn’t take the ring, she reached for his han
d, but he stepped back. Bending, she lay the ring at his feet and then stood up, turned, and walked. It took everything in her power not to spin around, dive at his feet to grab the ring and put it back on her finger while begging him to forgive her. And yet, she continued to walk to the edge of the cliff. This time when she jumped up, she made it, but didn’t feel like dancing for joy at the accomplishment. In fact, she wondered if she would ever feel joy again.
The further she moved away from Jared, the worse she felt and yet, she continued. It wasn’t until she heard the roar of pain coming from behind her that she halted. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms around herself in a hard-fought battle. Taking a few deep breaths, she opened her eyes and ran faster than she ever had in her life toward an unknown future that broke her heart.
Chapter 6
Jared stood alone, just staring at the spot where Tessa had been. Slowly, his eyes fell to the ring at his feet. It sparkled up at him as if teasing him with his failure of being the man he knew Tessa deserved.
Bending down, he continued to stare at the simple ring he had given Tessa. He picked it up, bringing it close to his face. He swore it was still warm from her finger. Sliding it snuggly on his pinky, he felt a loss so deep it almost brought him to his knees.
Leaning his head back, he roared all his pain and rage. His arms out from his body, his veins looked as if they were going to pop out of his skin as his hands fisted tightly. His head snapped back down as he opened his eyes, which were black as midnight with a burning red glow shimmering inside the pupils.
Turning his head, he glanced up at the cliff she had disappeared over, then turned and went in the same direction. He had things to take care of, but he’d be damned if he’d let her go thinking it was over. Oh, fuck no. It was far from over between them. She was his and nothing would ever change that, not even their past—as fucked up as it seemed both of their pasts were.
After jumping the cliff, he made his way back to the house. Seeing Adam’s bike gone, he frowned. He stepped inside the house by the open back door. He stopped short when he saw Adam sitting at the kitchen table as if waiting for him.
“Where is she?” Jared’s eyes searched despite knowing she was gone.
“Obviously not here,” Adam replied, then rolled his eyes at Jared’s growl. “She’s gone. Took my bike. Angelina is on her way here. We’re going to stay with her until you guys can get your shit together, which I hope is soon. She’s going to need you, Jared.”
Jared’s eyes shot to Adam’s, hearing something in his tone he didn’t like. “What do you mean?”
“Gramps is sick, really sick.” Adam shifted in his seat, swallowing hard. “He doesn’t want Tessa to know.”
“Fuck!” Jared sighed, rubbing his forehead. Could they not get a damn break?
“Come clean with her, man.” Adam stood up, taking his phone out of his back pocket to check it. “She deserves that much from you.”
“You’re fucking reading me,” Jared growled, slamming his hand down on the kitchen table.
“Yep.” Adam glanced up at his phone with a cocked eyebrow. “She’s my sister. I would die for her. Would you?”
Jared moved so quickly that Adam didn’t have a chance to react. He found himself slammed against the wall. “Watch yourself.” Jared sneered, then fought to control himself before letting Adam go with a warning shove. “Why haven’t you told her if you know?”
“Guess because my sister loves you and it’s not my story to tell.” Adam fixed his shirt, then looked at Jared. “You’re my brother, man. I don’t really understand some of what I read, but I do know that you need to come clean with Tessa. It would explain a lot. She’s been through hell, which you know.”
With a nod, Jared sighed, then crossed his arms as he leaned against the counter. “I need a little time.” Dammit, this was just fucked up. “Keep an eye on her for me.”
“You know I will.” Adam reached out, slapping Jared on the shoulder. “I told her to read you.”
Jared’s head snapped up at that.
“She said that if you love someone, you’d never do that. It’s a break in trust, she says.” Adam went to the freezer and grabbed some frozen steaks. “And she also said that if you felt she was worth knowing, you’d tell her yourself.”
Jared felt like he’d been punched in the throat with a brick. “She said all of this today?”
Adam shook his head, tossing the steaks on the sink. “No.” He turned on the hot water. “She said it a few weeks after she found out she had the power.”
Feeling like a complete motherfucker who needed his ass beat, Jared glared at the wall, thinking of all the times he knew that he’d acted like an asshole toward her.
“She’s worth it,” Adam added, but didn’t turn to look at Jared as he went out toward the back door.
“Damn straight she is,” Jared said under his breath without missing a beat, then he left in the opposite direction Adam had gone. As he got on his bike, he knew Tessa had gone to her visit. He took out his phone and called Mitch.
“Hey, Mitch. Do you have the address of Tessa’s visit?”
“Why?” Mitch boomed into the phone. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just need the address.” Jared’s eyes traveled over the house as he sat and waited. This was supposed to be his and Tessa’s home. Adam didn’t want it, said Tessa was meant to live here, and he was right. This place was Tessa in every piece of wood, blade of grass, trail, and sunset. “Jesus!” Jared cursed, shaking his head at his thoughts.
“Hold on a fucking minute. I got a thousand files on my desk.” Mitch griped, thinking Jared was cursing at him for taking so long. “Okay, it’s 8510 Campbell Road.”
“Got it and, Mitch,” Jared said as he started the bike.
“Yeah?” Mitch replied hesitantly.
“We never had this conversation,” Jared replied, then laughed when Mitch hung up on him, indicating Tessa’s new boss would do exactly that—forget the conversation.
Before taking off, he put the address into his GPS. He didn’t know this area very well. Once programmed, he was on the road, his mind swirling with everything that had happened in the last thirty minutes. One thing was for certain. He and Tessa did not have a boring fucking relationship. She kept him on his toes, and he loved it, but then again, he hated it. His fear was what made him a total fucking asshole. He swore right then and there, as he traveled the back roads of Kentucky, that once he set his shit straight, Tessa Pride would never again feel unloved.
Turning onto Campbell Road, he parked his bike, looking at addresses. Heading down the street on foot, he saw Adam’s bike parked in a driveway. As promised, Jared stayed away but stood close enough that if there was trouble, he could be there in seconds. Finding a large tree, he stood beside it where he could see the house. Thankfully, the street was quiet, so he wasn’t attracting attention by standing there. It wouldn’t matter anyway; he’d just tell them to fuck off and mind their own business.
Finally, after what seemed like a long time, Tessa came out of the house with a man and woman. They were all smiling. Despite his relief at seeing her safe, he stayed alert as he listened.
“Again, I’m so sorry,” the woman said as they walked with Tessa down the steps of the porch. “I just didn’t think about it when I changed our number. And with Eric working so much overtime, I have my hands full.”
“I’m just glad everything is going well for you all and Tony seemed so happy.” Tessa smiled, then shook their hands. “If you need anything, you have my card.”
Jared watched as the man and woman went back inside, and Tessa put her file into the pack on Adam’s bike. Jared was about to head back to his bike quickly before he was caught but stopped when a man came out of the house next door and whistled. Jared’s eyes darkened as they zeroed in on the man.
“Nice bike,” the man said as he walked toward Tessa.
“Thanks.” Tessa glanced up but dismissed the man quickly, which pleased Jared. “It�
��s my brother’s.”
Jared glared at the man who watched Tessa climb onto Adam’s bike with more appreciation than Jared was comfortable with. Actually, he wanted to fly over there and smash the guy’s face in before he poked his fucking eyes out.
“Well if you don’t mind me saying, I’m sure you look much better on it than your brother.” The man’s smile grew. “I’m Kevin.”
“Nice meeting you.” Tessa nodded, not volunteering her name. “But I really need to run.”
“Shame.” He frowned, then shrugged. “Maybe next time you visit Denise and Eric, I could talk you into having a drink with me.”
“Don’t drink,” Tessa replied, and for some reason, that answer fucking bothered Jared more than the man’s flirting. Anger thick and close to rage consumed him. “And I’m married.”
“Damn straight you are,” Jared mumbled. A smile curved Jared’s lips as his rage subsided. And that was exactly the answer he wanted her to give. Not “I don’t drink.”
“Happily?” The man gave her a weird leer, and Jared stepped from behind the damn Christmas-looking tree but stopped when Tessa refused to answer. Instead, she started the bike, revving it loudly as she glared at the man without giving him the benefit of an answer.
The man shrugged, then yelled over the blaring engine, “You aren’t that good-looking anyway, but those tits make up for it.”
Tessa sat for a second staring at the man, then looked up at the house she’d just left. Jared had a feeling if it wasn’t for that family, Tessa would have cussed the asshole out, but instead, she shook her head and backed out of the driveway. Thankfully, she went in the opposite direction. Jared hurried toward his bike, got on and was about to pull out and head back to the compound, but the look on Tessa’s face as she backed out haunted him. Glancing back at the yard, the man was walking toward his mailbox. With a smirk, Jared took off on his bike and stopped in front of the man who turned to look at him.
“Hey.” The man nodded without even looking at Jared’s bike. Instead, he glanced down at his mail. When Jared didn’t leave but continued to sit there staring, the man looked back up. “Ah, can I help you?”
Tessa Page 4